The subject matter described herein relates generally to methods and systems for assembling a rotor lock assembly for use in a wind turbine.
At least some known wind turbine towers include a nacelle fixed atop a tower. The nacelle includes a rotor assembly coupled to a gearbox and to a generator through a rotor shaft. In known rotor assemblies, a plurality of blades extend from a rotor. The blades are oriented such that wind passing over the blades turns the rotor and rotates the shaft, thereby driving the generator to generate electricity.
Because many known wind turbines provide electrical power to utility grids, at least some wind turbines have larger components (e.g., rotors in excess of thirty meters in diameter) that facilitate supplying greater quantities of electrical power. However, the larger components are often subjected to increased loads (e.g., asymmetric loads) that result from wind shears, yaw misalignment, and/or turbulence, and the increased loads have been known to contribute to significant fatigue cycles on the gearbox assembly and/or other components of the wind turbine.
At least some known wind turbines include an electric generator and a gearbox each positioned within the nacelle. The electric generator is coupled to the gearbox with a high speed shaft. At least some known gearbox assemblies facilitate transferring rotational energy from a low speed rotor shaft to a high speed shaft that rotatably drives the generator to facilitate producing electrical power. Over time, the gearbox, the generator, and/or other wind turbine components may become worn. As the wind turbine components become worn, the wind turbine becomes less effective. In at least some known wind turbines, the rotor blades are pitched to facilitate limiting a rotation of the rotor shaft to facilitate repair of the wind turbine components. In some wind turbines, the blades are between 60 and 100 meters in length, and as such, the rotor shaft may unexpectedly rotate when subjected to high wind conditions.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a system and method to facilitate limiting a rotation of the rotor shaft to facilitate repair and/or replacement of wind turbine components of the wind turbine.